Is it permissible to invoke the name of Allah (the Most Merciful) directly, or does that fall under polytheism (shirk), and what is intended is seeking intercession with Allah by mentioning His names and attributes while intending to supplicate to Allah Himself? And is mentioning: "In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing on earth or in the heavens can cause harm, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing" a form of seeking refuge and intercession with Allah through His name?

Supplicating to an attribute is forbidden because the attribute is not the described, and this might be considered polytheism. Worship is directed to Allah alone, not to His attributes. However, seeking intercession through Allah's attributes is permissible. It is also permissible to swear by an attribute as a form of glorification, not worship. As for the Beautiful Names, supplicating to them is supplicating to Allah because the name is the named, as in His (the Most High) saying: "Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever [name] you call Him by, He has the Most Beautiful Names." As for the mention of "In the Name of Allah, with Whose Name nothing can harm," it falls under the category of seeking intercession, seeking help, glorification, and seeking blessings through Allah's Names.